Business Assistance & Development

Spirited rebels speak proof to power

PART TWO: Our entrepreneurial summer series dawned last week with stories of the inspired women who run bed & breakfasts and vacation rentals along our region’s trails. Successful businesses usually have great stories – of innovation or tradition, local roots or international reach. In the second of six episodes, we’ll get a taste of the craft beverage market, where the … Continue reading

Kick it up a notch

PART ONE: Summer is make-or-break time for many of the small businesses in our towns, along the trails, and in the city’s most festive neighborhoods. This summer, many entrepreneurs are thinking big. We’re hearing business pioneers talk about being “booked through the fall,” hitting “a nice, aggressive number” or even “picking up a whole new population” of customers. So for … Continue reading

Pittsburgh’s first hostel opens Sunday, April 1st

Paul Kletter and Mary Beth Karabinos

Pittsburgh natives, Paul Kletter and Mary Beth Karabinos, are opening South Side Traveler’s Rest, with help from The Progress Fund. The hostel will ultimately accommodate up to 35 guests, offering both dormitory style and private sleeping rooms, with rest room and kitchen facilities, as well as lockers, Wi-Fi and bike detailing. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic South Side, it’s the only … Continue reading

From coal towns to trail towns: rebuilding Appalachia

The Allegheny Front dug into our impact along the trail towns— and the stories of the lives it changed. Like Rod Darby, who had a great idea, but hit a snag when banks “weren’t sure about this trail thing.” Guess what? We were. And that’s just 1 piece of a major movement along the Great Allegheny Passage. Check out the full … Continue reading

GAP and EPT Lodging Surveys

The Trail Town Program® is updating data and information about available lodging and camping in around the Great Allegheny Passage and Erie to Pittsburgh (Titusville to Foxburg area) trails.  The brief survey includes a few questions such as type of facility, number of rooms/sites, and trail traffic. To kick off 2016, Trail Town Program® staff and partners will be gathering … Continue reading